Department for Work and Pensions

Helping Workless Families

lord henley: Today, we are publishing “Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families”, setting out this Government’s vision to improve outcomes for children who grow up in workless families and face multiple, associated disadvantages. This Government is committed to creating a country that works for everyone. We want to create a fairer Britain where success is based on merit, not privilege, and where everyone has the chance to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them. We have already made great steps in rebalancing society in favour of ordinary working people: employment runs at a record high and unemployment is at the lowest rate for over a decade. There are now 590,000 fewer children in workless households compared to 2010. However, despite this progress, for some families, worklessness, not employment, is the norm. In 2014-2015 there were 1.8 million children in workless families across the United Kingdom, and in over eight out of ten cases the child was in a long-term workless family. These families often face multiple disadvantages – for example, relationship distress is almost three times as prevalent in workless couple-parent families compared to when both parents are working. Today, we are publishing new analysis which shows what a profound impact worklessness and its associated multiple disadvantages can have on children’s emotional, behavioural and educational outcomes. Our ground-breaking research shows children in workless families are almost twice as likely to fail to reach the expected standard at all stages of their education. Evidence also shows how exposure to parental conflict can have long-term negative impacts on children’s early development. We must act now to break this cycle of disadvantage. Today, we are introducing four major new policies which will transform local services so that they can better support workless families: - The next phase of the Troubled Families programme, to place a greater emphasis on supporting parents with complex problems back into work;- A major programme to reduce stress and conflict in workless families;- Enhancing the role of Jobcentre Plus in working with local partners to tackle collectively the multiple disadvantages facing unemployed individuals in a better, more joined-up way; and- Greater support to help those with drug and alcohol dependencies into work, in response to recommendations from Dame Carol Black’s review of employment support for those with drug/alcohol dependencies. My colleague the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has published the Troubled Families Annual Report today, which sets out more detail on the next phase of the programme and should be read in conjunction with the document I am announcing today. To track our collective progress in improving outcomes for disadvantaged families, we are introducing nine national indicators, as set out in our Analysis and Research Pack. These will build on our two statutory indicators of parental worklessness and children’s educational attainment – for which I am publishing the first annual report today. I will lay this report formally in Parliament on 24 April. We will break down our evidence to a local level, to enable local partners to understand and identify the needs of their community. We will continue to work with local agencies and partners on a range of tools, including our Family Evidence Resource, to help them use our new evidence to commission and deliver effective interventions for workless families. The analysis and evidence we have developed – in conjunction with leading academics and experts, as well as other Government departments – takes us further than ever before in understanding the root causes of disadvantage. The indicators and evidence base we are introducing form a framework for action – and in doing so, help to drive improvements in children and families’ lives, now and over time. By targeting services on the issues that prevent parents moving into work and cause instability in family life, Government, working with local authorities and other partners, can help workless families and their children overcome their problems and improve their lives.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Troubled Families Annual Report

lord bourne of aberystwyth: As required by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, section 3(1) and (11) , my Department will publish the first annual report today setting out how the current Troubled Families Programme (2015 – 2020) has been supporting the most disadvantaged families. We will lay this report after recess on 24 April 2017.This notice details what the report will cover, for the period up to end of March 2017, as well as for the next financial year, including setting out which families are eligible for the programme and how the progress of families supported will be measured.Families classed as ‘Relevant households’ on the programme, as defined by section 3 of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, have at least two of the following problems:Parents or children involved in crime or anti-social behaviourChildren who are not attending school regularlyChildren who need help; that is children of all ages, who need help, are identified as in need or are subject to a child protection planAdults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion or young people at risk of worklessnessFamilies affected by domestic violence or abuseParents or children with a range of physical and mental health problemsThe rationale for these eligibility criteria and how local authorities should identify families using a range of indicators, suggested referral routes and information sources was set out in the Financial framework for the expanded Troubled Families programme: April 2015 onwards published on 5 March 2015. The Financial Framework also sets out how the progress of families supported will be measured.‘Supporting disadvantaged families, Troubled Families Programme 2015 –2020: progress so far’ sets out how the programme is changing the way councils work to be more effective in supporting those in need, including through a whole family approach and co-ordinated practical support. It also includes considerations for the next phase of the programme including which families are eligible for support, and how their progress will be measured.The programme will continue support for disadvantaged families with complex problems and will work with up to 400,000 families by 2020.The next phase of the Troubled Families Programme supports the Government’s paper, Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families. This sets out new evidence on the multiple and overlapping disadvantages experienced by workless families – including parental conflict and problem debt.As part of the next phase of the programme, the Government will be conducting a review of the current payment-by-results funding model. This is to make sure that this model continues to help the programme meet its objectives, and to strengthen the programme’s funding requirements.